Yours, Mine and Ours
by darluvscaryl
Summary: When the herd attacks the ASZ, Daryl and Carol find their family is going to grow by one more. Big decisions are made and people move on.
1. Chapter 1

Carol smiled as she set her knife on the kitchen counter. It was easier to get the food out of the oven when that knife wasn't digging into her side. She had just gotten out of a council meeting with Rick, Deanna, Daryl, Michonne, Glenn and Maggie when Sophia had stopped by Deanna's and told her dinner was in the oven and she had to get to work. Sophia was sixteen now and helped Rosita keep things stocked and organized in the infirmary in the ASZ. Her smile grew as Carol filled with pride at how amazing all her girls had turned out to be.

Lizzie was fourteen, Mika was twelve and all three girls were following in their mother's footsteps. Thanks to Carol and the man they had come to call dad, Daryl, all three girls were well versed on how to take care of themselves in this cruel world. Daryl made sure each girl could shoot a bow and arrow because his crossbow required more upper body strength than any of them had yet. He had also taught them to hunt and track. Carol equipped each girl with outstanding knife skills and pinpoint accuracy with pistols and rifles. They had picked up their mother's "whatever it takes" to survive attitude and didn't let anyone push them around.

Two months after everything that happened with Pete and Reg, the people of the ASZ knew there was more to Carol, but she still didn't let them see everything she had to offer. It was devastating because not only were Pete and Reg lost, but Jessie's oldest boy, Ron. They figured out later that in his drunken stupor, Pete had went after his own boys first. Ron had died saving Sam's life. "Daryl, Liz, Mik, let's go! It is time to eat." The three of them raced down the stairs and the girls high fived when they beat Daryl to the table.

"Too bad old man," said Lizzie jokingly, "We will always move faster than you. I think we may have to get rid of that bike and sign you up for a segue or something. Oohh! A motorized scooter!" Both girls burst into fits of laughter when Daryl suddenly arched his back and pretended to walk with a cane to the table.

"Mom, is Sam coming over?," asked Mika as she began to fill plates.

"Mika, we have already told you girls that Sam won't be coming over much anymore," said Daryl as he sat down next to Carol. "He and his mom are really having a hard time with everything that happened."

"Sorry, dad, I am just worried about him is all."

"I know, sweet pea," he replied as he squeezed her fingers.

They ate in silence as they were each lost in their own thoughts. "How'd the meeting go?," said Daryl finally breaking the silence.

"It went fine. Rick said that some of the people are really coming along in their shooting and knife skills."

"Day late and a dollar short if you ask me," he mumbled as he shoved another scoop in this mouth. "All I know is these people shoulda already been ready."

"I agree, Daryl, but fussing about it now isn't going to change anything," said Carol as she stood up and walked over to the counter. "Ok, girls, let's get this kitchen cleaned up. You two are on dish duty because Sophia got called over to help Rosita tonight."

"All I'm sayin' is, if shit hits the fan, I ain't taking care of nobody, but you and the girls. You four are my priority." Smiling she walked over and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Thank you, Pookie, we know. But keep in mind, your girls are pretty kick ass in their own right and can take care of themselves."

Smiling, he said, "Course they can, their mom and dad showed them how to survive and there is no one better than us to teach them." Walking over to his crossbow, he picked it up and went outside on the porch. His nightly ritual included checking the house, checking Rick's house and making sure the crossbow was ready for action.

Carol followed him out there and sat down next to him on the stoop. "Daryl, I am really worried about Jessie and Sam. I went over to see them today and all she is doing is sitting on the couch. I try to get her to talk about Ron, but she doesn't want to. I know it takes time, but I have tried to remind her that anything can happen and she needs to be ready to protect Sam. I look into her eyes, but there it is empty."

"Look, Rosie, I know you care and you are worried. But what can ya do? She has to figure this out. She will, just keep talkin' to her, I guess." Carol warmed inside when she heard the nickname he used to call her in the prison. She had told him how much that Cherokee Rose had meant to her and he started calling her that shortly thereafter. He hadn't used it in a while and she didn't realize how much she missed it.

"I will. I am also going to keep an eye on her and Sam in case something happens." Daryl shot a look at her to which she replied, "Don't worry. I have my priorities."

He put his crossbow down and moved her to sit on the step in front of him in between his legs so her back was nestled in his front. He wrapped her up protectively and whispered in her ear, "You and I're what's keepin these girls together. We are all they have and I wouldn't do this with anyone else."

Tipping her chin to look back at him, "I agree," as she pulled his face towards hers to give him a loving kiss.

"Gross, get a room," said Sophia laughing as she came around the corner.

"Did you get everything done Rosita wanted you too, Soph?"

"Yeah, mom, we got it stocked and ready."

"Good. It is late. Your plate is on the stove. Warm it up and after you eat, get to bed. We have a busy day tomorrow."

Sophia leaned over and gave Daryl a kiss on the cheek. "Nite, DD. Nite, mom." Kissing her mom she made her way up the stairs while Carol smirked at Daryl.

"What?," he said as he pulled her closer.

"Nothing. I can just remember a time when you really couldn't stand to be around kids and look at you now. Sophia's nickname has stuck and no matter what you say, you like it."

Turning a shade of crimson, Daryl knew he was busted. "I know I ain't their father and they are too old to call me dad, but I do like DD. It sounds tough and I tell people it stands for Daryl the Devil, but at least our family knows it means 'Daddy Daryl.' You tell anyone I said that, I'll deny it."

Laughing she whispered, "The secret is safe with me, Dixon."

They sat in silence for a while longer before deciding it was time for bed. As they stood up to go in, the night suddenly filled with screams. They looked at each other and ran into the house. The girls were already making their way downstairs.

"Ok, girls, we have talked about this," Daryl said as he grabbed an extra gun. "Stay in the house, blinds drawn, knives and guns in hand. Your mom and I will be back."

"Stay together. If you have to fight, triangle formation, move as one. Got it?"

"We got it, mom," they yelled.

Daryl and Carol took off down the steps as they met up with Rick, Michonne, Judith and Carl. Carl ran next door and handed Judith off just as Sophia stepped outside to grab her. Weeks ago, the houses had got together and decided their best course of action if trouble arose again. The three girls would hunker down to keep Judith safe. Sophia was a great leader for the group and kept the other girls calm.

The group took off toward the front gate as they were met by Abraham and his group, Glenn and Maggie. "What's going on,!?," yelled Rick.

"Sasha said it is a massive herd. The biggest she has seen, guesses over two-three hundred," yelled Abraham as they ran.

"Ok, people, stay alert and stick together!," said Rick.

They got closer and saw the people of the ASZ already fighting with walkers that had gotten in. Everyone began to fight and continued to do so for hours before the herd had been thinned out and walls began going up again. Abraham's group had prepared and trained for what needed to be done to get walls up quickly and the training paid off. Sobs could be heard as the dawn began to break and the realization of how many people died began to set in.

Daryl and Carol wanted to get the girls to help, so they left with a promise to return quickly. Walking down the street, they came upon a scene that stopped them cold. Sam sat in the middle of the street holding the hand of what used to be his mother Jessie. She had obviously been torn apart by a few walkers. Carol bent down by him and was met with his dirty, tear stained cheeks. "She...she saved m...m...me, Ms. Carol. I got no one now, cuz my mom saved me!"

Daryl put his crossbow over his shoulder and bent over to pick Sam up. Sam threw his arms around Daryl's neck and snuggled himself in sobbing. "We got ya, Sam. You ain't alone. We won't let you be alone."


	2. Too Close For Comfort

Daryl, Carol and Sam arrived back at the house and were glad to see the girls were still hunkered down. Daryl went over to Carol and set Sam down next to her. He immediately moved next to Carol and drew her arm around him. Carol looked down at Sam and squeezed his arm at the same time she held him up a bit. Walking over to where the closet door was locked, Daryl said, "Girls, it's us. Come on out!" When the girls stepped out they immediately flew to Carol and Daryl grabbing them up in hugs.

"That was horrible," said Sophia as she wiped tears from her eyes. "We could hear people screaming and even some of the walkers must have been close because the snarling seemed like it was next to the house." Carol nodded and grasped Sophia's shoulder as Rick knocked on the door.

Daryl unhooked himself from Mika and Lizzie long enough to open it. Rick stepped in and Sophia handed him Judith. "She did pretty good considering how long we had to be in there. She was tired, so she slept. We also gave her some snacks and spent time reading books to her," said Sophia as she went back over and stood on Carol's other side.

"Thanks, Sophia. We appreciate all your help. Thanks, Mika, Lizzie. I am sure you girls were a big help for her."

"You're welcome, Rick," said Mika as she walked over to Daryl and grabbed his hand.

"We are going to take turns washing up, try to catch up on a little sleep and then get back out there to help with the clean up. Will we see you later?"

"Yeah, we will be out there in a bit," said Daryl as he walked Rick to the door. "The girls are a bit shook up, so we want to settle them down. We will need their help with cleaning." Shaking hands, he locked up after Rick walked down the stairs.

"Girls, could you please stay with Sam for a few minutes. We are going to clean up quickly and then we all need to sit down and talk," said Daryl as he started up the stairs. Carol led Sam and the girls to the living room and sat them down on the big couch. Sam looked up at her with a look filled with uncertainty.

Carol squeezed his hand and spoke softly, "Sam, it is ok. Daryl and I will be right upstairs and the girls are here with you. We will be back in a few minutes." She turned around and made her way upstairs just as Daryl was stepping into the shower.

She pulled out clean clothes for them and then made her way into the bathroom.

"That was some scary shit today, wasn't it?," said Daryl as he vigorously washed his hair. He could hear her brushing her teeth, so he kept talking. "I wasn't scared for us that much, but knowin the girls were back at the house, with no real way out." He turned off the water and grabbed a towel off the rack. Drying himself off, he stepped out onto the bath mat. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he stepped up to his sink.

"It was different this time, and I can't figure out why," she said as she finished wiping her hands. Going over to him, she turned him to face her. "I know that we have trained these girls for almost anything, but in my gut, something is telling me that they are not safe here. For the first time, in a long time, Daryl saw fear in her eyes. "You know I will do anything to keep them, keep them...safe." Tears fell slowly as he gathered her in his arms and held her.

"Ever since we came here, I've thought there was somethin' off about this place. That's not a secret. After the battle we just went through, I think I have finally figured out what it is." Pulling her away from him, he placed a soft kiss on her lips and said, "Honey, remember what we swore to if there was ever any doubt?"

Nodding her head, the tears began to fall again. "I'll clean up quickly and then we will talk to the kids."

The kids all looked up as Daryl and Carol came back downstairs. Carol went and sat in the middle of the children and said, "We need to talk to all of you about something very important, so please let us finish talking before you say anything, ok?" Wrapping her arm tightly around him, she made eye contact with the girls and said, "First, Sam's mom died last night saving him, so we promised him we would take care of him now." She looked down at him and stroked his cheek as he looked up at her with his tear filled eyes. He turned and tucked his face into her as she continued. "Ever since Daryl and I got together and made a family with you girls, we always agreed on one thing. Your safety was and is our first priority."

"After what we faced last night, we realized, here, we can't keep you safe like we want to. I finally realized that, other than the front gate, there is no other way to get outta here. If we were overrun with a herd just a little bigger, it wouldn't be good. We're gonna stick around about another week, then we are leavin'. We've gotta find some place different for you kids. It won't be easy, but it is time to say goodbye to the group."


	3. Time To Move On

The living room was quiet for a few minutes after Daryl finished telling the kids what he and Carol had decided. Sophia looked around and was the first one to speak. "Wow. I am completely surprised that is what you have decided to do. I mean, it makes total sense to me, but are you sure you want to leave the group? We have been with these people since the hell started 3 years ago. They are part of our family, too."

"We know they are, Sophia. That is what makes this decision a challenge for us," said Carol as she looked around at all the children. "I am not going to say it was a hard decision, because Daryl and I have always put the safety of you children first. We are always going to do what is best for our immediate family and that is you girls and now Sam, too. We don't want you to think we are just going to bail on everyone. Our plan is to have a meeting and explain our concerns. After we are done, if anyone chooses, they can come with us."

"Look kids, we know this is tough, but we wanted to be honest with all of you. Each and every one of you has seen what these walkers are capable of and we need to make sure we are as prepared as we can be for them. Sometimes that means moving to a new location." When he finished talking, Daryl noticed the children seemed to have a look of understanding on their faces, albeit a small one.

Carol stood up and went to the middle of the living room. "Come here everyone. I want everyone to grab hands and make a circle right here." They stared at her as if she had grown another head.

"Seriously, come on over." They made their way over to her and joined their hands. "I just wanted you to look around at each other. Really look close. You four kids are the reason Daryl and I get up every morning. We have told you girls this before, but Sam, we realize this is all so scary and new for you." Looking down as he held her hand, she saw tears fill his eyes. "Daryl and I will take care of you, teach you and love you the best we can. We may make mistakes, the girls can attest to that," smiles filled the circle as she continued, "but we promise with everything that we are, we will make this the best family for you. We can all learn to take care of each other, help each other out, and love each other." Her voice became thick with emotion as she watched a sense of peace fall over each face.

She felt a squeeze of her hand and looked down at Sam. His voice shook as the tears fell down his cheeks. "Carol, you promise you and Daryl will take care of me? I know I am not your real boy, but will you really keep me safe?"

"You are our boy now, Sam,and Carol and I promise to do right by you. You will be as safe as we can make ya, ok?" Daryl said as he pulled Sam to him and gave him a hug. Even as Daryl stopped the hug, Sam didn't let go of him. "Ok, everyone. It is time to go help clean up. Stay close to your mom and I until we figure out what your jobs are going to be. Stay alert and watch out for each other."

"Yes, DD," the girls responded as they walked over to the coat rack and grabbed their gloves.

The clean up took two days, but with everyone pitching in and working shifts, people were able to eat, sleep, shower and have down time. It was a rough time for the survivors as not only was Jessie dead, but Eric and Deanna died as well. Daryl made sure to keep an eye on Aaron as he was struggling with the loss of Eric.

A few days later, Daryl told Rick he would like everyone to meet at his and Carol's place to talk about a few things. Everyone in the group showed up including Morgan and Aaron. Once everyone had found a spot, Carol stood up and began talking. "Thanks for coming everyone. Daryl and I have some things we would like to talk to you about and we really needed everyone here for it. As you know, we have now taken in Sam. He is a wonderful addition to the family and we care for him a great deal. That being said, our family has grown and now includes four children. We have never kept the fact that our children are our number one priority. After the attack here last week, Daryl came to the realization that the only way out is through the front gate. Honestly, we had a hard time in the fight because we kept thinking that the girls had no way to get out if they had to escape suddenly." Looking at Daryl, he continued where she stopped.

"Carol and I did not like feelin' like the girls were in danger because of the setup of this place. We talked about this for a long time and have decided we are going to leave here." There were gasps of surprise and a few swear words as what he said sunk in. "I know you have questions, but let me finish. We want to go someplace where it is colder to slow down the walkers. We also know that forests would be good for hunting and lakes would be good for fishing. Carol use to go visit her uncle in Minnesota and that is where we are headin'."

"Motherdick! What the hell, Daryl?," said Abe as he stood up. "I get that you want your family safe, but is breaking the group up the best way for that to happen?"

"I haven't felt right about this place since we got here, Rick. You know that. Now that we got Sam, things change for us a little bit more. This isn't something we decided last night; we have talked about it a lot over the last week. We need to make this change. We are not trying to cause hard feelin's, but if anyone wants to go with us, you are more than welcome to. Please think about it and let us know."

Rick looked angry and Carol found herself getting pissed. "Look, we know this is hard to hear, but, bottom line, these are our children we are talking about. Rick, you had said yourself that you would do anything to keep Carl and Judith safe. We feel the same way about our children. This isn't about group dynamics or holding hands. Safe, secure...THAT is what we are talking about here. We love all of you and have struggled with this over and over again. You may think we don't care, but if we didn't, we could have packed up and left without telling anyone. Please think about what we are dealing with and accept our decision. This is hard enough to do and knowing we have your support, would be appreciated." She looked around the group and saw many people with tears in their eyes. When she caught Rick's attention, he simply nodded in understanding.

"Michonne and I know that we are staying because we think this place is good for the kids. It looks like everyone has some thinking to do. Why don't we meet here again tomorrow after dinner and people can let me know if you want to go with Daryl and Carol or stay with us. Either way, there will be no hard feelings."


	4. The Great Divide

The following evening everyone gathered at Daryl and Carol's house after the town meeting had ended. The decisions that were going to be made in the next few minutes would change the lives of their group forever. As everyone found seats, Rick looked around trying to figure out what the others had decided just by reading their faces. Unfortunately for him, no one was giving anything away. When he found Daryl and Carol, they were leaning close together and he was whispering something in her ear. A small smile filled her face as she wiped a tear from her eye and grasped his hand tightly. Daryl placed a kiss on her forehead as they prepared for what was about to happen.

He stood up as everyone quieted down and focused on him. "I realize the town meeting was long, but I think some decisions were made that will benefit the safe zone. That being said, let's go around and see what everyone has decided to do.. I will allow everyone who chooses to, time to speak, but let's save any questions until the end. Is that ok?" Everyone nodded as he continued, "I have asked Michonne to write down what everyone chooses, so I can have a record of it. Ok, who would like to go first?"

Glenn stood up, "I will. Maggie and I have talked and we have decided to stay. She has been working hard to keep this place established and I am training people to do runs to build up the supplies again, so we think we are better off here. This was not an easy thing for us to decide because we have been together for so long now." He turned to Daryl and appreciated the head nod he received from him letting him know it was ok.

Abraham went next, "Rosita, Tara, Eugene and I stayed up quite a while trying to figure out what to do. Eventually, we decided that we are going to go with Daryl and Carol. We liked the thought of heading to a colder climate to see how the walkers handle the environment up there."

"We think the walkers will be functioning at a deficit up north, as that climate does not lend itself well to those who travel in frigid temperatures without the most beneficial outdoor attire," interjected Eugene. Everyone looked at each other and began to laugh. He was unaware of the fact that how he talked did offer a moment of levity in an otherwise difficult moment. "What?," he said as he looked around.

While shaking his head, Abraham sat down as Aaron spoke up and simply said, "There is nothing here for me anymore. I am used to working with Daryl, so I am going with them."

Sasha, Gabriel and Morgan all agreed to stay with Rick and help run the ASZ. Rick stood back up and cleared his throat as he suddenly had to face the reality of what was going to happen in a few days. "Does anyone have any questions?" Looking around, he didn't see anyone indicating they had any.

Suddenly a voice piped up from the other room. It startled the group as they had forgotten the children were playing in there. Sam came into the room with Mika and Judith following him. "Since only the older kids were allowed to sit in, we were listening to what you guys were saying."

He knew better than to eavesdrop, so he looked at Carol to see if he was in trouble. She smiled at him and quietly said, "It's ok, Sam, what is your question?"

Smiling back at her, he continued, "We were just wondering when would we all be together again? How long until we see each other?"

Rick was surprised by the question, but it made him realize that the children really didn't understand the implications of what was going to happen when their group split. Daryl spoke up as Rick remained quiet unsure what to say. "Sam, Mika, come here. Walking with Judith between them they walked up to him and sat on their knees by his feet. "I'm sorry you two. I figured you understood, but we probably won't ever see them again. 'Fore all this happened it was easy to keep up with people. Not anymore."

"We won't see Judith and Carl anymore?," said Mika as her eyes filled with tears.

"No, sweet pea, 'fraid not."

"OK, DD," she answered quietly.

Carol slipped off the couch and gathered them in her arms. She looked up into the faces of those who had been her family for the last fews years and felt her heart break as the realization began to set in with all of them. "I think it would be good for all of us to get together one more time before we leave. Why don't all of you come to our house tomorrow night and we can have some dinner and hang out. You know, one more 'normal' thing for the kids to do before all this happens."

"That sounds like a great idea," said Rick as he stood up and gathered up Judith in his arms. "Let's plan on six tomorrow, everyone."

Carol and Daryl climbed into bed and as he gathered her in his arms she said, "What do you think?"

"Wasn't surprised about Aaron, but was about Abraham and his group. I thought they would stay and Glenn and Maggie would come with us."

"Yeah, I really had no idea. It is such a tough time for everyone."

"It is, sweetheart, but I promise this will work out for us. We have to make it work." He turned her face him and whispered, "I promise this will be a good thing for the kids. I will take care of yall." He leaned forward and kissed her with a passion that she felt in her heart.


	5. Togetherness

The following morning Carol and the girls spent time organizing and packing things up they would take with them. Daryl had taken Sam back to his house to gather things he would need and want. He was a simple boy and didn't need much to make him happy. Sam picked out some clothes, a few toys and books. He knew they would be too easy for the girl's to read, but it would give them variety at least. As they were making their way downstairs, Sam stopped. "Daryl?"

"S'matter, Sam?"

"Would it be ok if I took a picture with me? It is one of me, my brother and my mom that was taken before all the bad stuff started happening."

"I think that is a great idea, Sam," said Daryl as he watched the boy race to the kitchen and come back with his picture.

"Thanks! I think pictures help us, don't you?" Daryl watched as Sam stared at the picture and caressed it softly. "I think pictures can make you happy, sad or even settle you down if you are mad."

"I think you're right," answered Daryl as he watched Sam put the picture in his bag. Suddenly, he had an idea. He knew the kids would be sad over not being able to see each other again, so he came up with a plan to ask Aaron if he had enough ink to make two pictures and if he did, could he bring his camera to the party tonight. "Come on, big guy. We better go check on your mom and the girls." Sam stopped walking and Daryl realized what he'd said. "I'm sorry, Sam. So use to sayin' that."

"It's ok. Eventually, I'm sure I'll call her mom, too." Daryl noticed he wiped a tear away, but then put his head up and walked on.

After Daryl dropped Sam off at home, he went on to Aaron's house. The shades were drawn and the lights were off. Daryl knew that Aaron was having a tough time dealing with Eric's death. He felt sorry for the guy, because if anything ever happened to Carol, he didn't knew he wouldn't be able to get over that. Knocking on the door, he stepped back and waited. After about a minute, Aaron opened the door.

"Hey, Daryl."

"Hey, Aaron. How ya doin'?" Daryl could tell by looking at him that he was struggling. He hadn't showered or shaved which was extremely unusual for him.

"I'm ok. I am just packing up a few things. What can I do for you?"

"I was wondrin' if we could use your camera tonight. I thought it would help the kids if we took pictures of each group. That way, my kids would have a pic of Carl and Lil' Ass Kicker and they..."

"Wait! Who?," said Aaron with an amused look. "Did you say Little Ass Kicker?"

Blushing, Daryl put his hand to his face and shaking his head said, "When Judith was born, her mom died. Rick took it hard and wasn't paying attention to her at all. We didn't have a name for her and she was such a tough little thing, that I started callin' her Lil' Ass Kicker." Laughing, he said, "Just sorta stuck until Rick pulled out of it and Carl picked Judith."

Aaron smiled and said, "I am not surprised it was you who gave her that name." Nodding his head, he said, "I will make sure to bring the camera later. I am not sure how much ink is left, but we will take what we can."

"I think everyone's going to like the idea of a picture to remember everyone by." Reaching out, he shook his hand and said, "Thanks, Aaron. See ya later."

Later that evening, while the group was sitting around in the backyard, Daryl walked up to them and said, "I was at Sam's earlier and we got to talkin' about pictures and stuff. I thought it might be easier on the kids if they had something to remember their friends. We can take pictures of just the kids and then maybe one of the group staying and one of the group going. That way, at least we have something from each other. What do ya'll think?" Glancing at the ground, he kicked a rock with his boot as his nerves subsided a bit. He didn't like having to talk in front of the group because he thought he sounded like an idiot

"Daryl," said Carol through her teary eyes. "I think that is a great idea! It would be a way to bring a little sunshine into an otherwise dreary world."

He looked up and saw several eyes filled with tears, some of the men included. They nodded in agreement with what Carol said, and Rick even came over and gave him a man hug/backslap thing. "Great idea, Daryl."

The kids were called over and Aaron took pictures of them first and then group shots were taken. It was a somber event, but the adults kept it fun for the kids. As evening fell, people got ready to leave. Carol and Daryl had already let everyone know that they would be leaving at noon tomorrow. Unfortunately, that meant they had to say goodbye to Glenn and Michonne now as they would be leaving for a run early in the morning. The kids said their goodbyes to Glenn and Maggie and then went inside.

Everyone else went home except Rick,Michonne, Glenn and Maggie. Carol looked at the group and instantly choked up. "I am actually not sure how to do this. We have been together so long, I'm trying to figure out how we are suppose to survive without you. Walking over to Glenn, she simply said, "Thank you for saving me and for supplying our group with what we needed to survive." Grabbing him in a hug, she spoke in a voice thick with emotion, "You are good man, Glenn. Maggie is lucky to have you. Please be careful and stay safe."

When they pulled apart, there were tears in his eyes as he simply said, "Carol, none of us would be here right now if it wasn't for you. I will always remember how you saved us from Terminus." Turning to Daryl, they proceeded to do the man hug thing as well. "Daryl, you take care of your family." He nodded as they walked away towards their house.

"See you tomorrow, Maggie," Carol called as Maggie turned, smiled and waved.

Michonne and Rick walked up to them. She grabbed Carol's hands and through her tears said, "There is nothing more commendable than a woman who, without hesitation, steps in to care for and love another woman's child. You are my hero. Not only did you save us, you have now saved three other souls as well. Thank you, Carol, for all you...for all you have done for us. Stay safe, I love you." Throwing their arms around each other, the two women silently cried.

"Michonne, please take care of you and take care of Rick and the kids. You are such a warrior, yet such a good mom to those kids. They are lucky to have you," Carol whispered as they pulled away from each other.

Michonne smiled as she wiped the tears from her cheeks and walked over to Daryl. Without a word, she gave him a hug and then pulled away from him. As they stared at each other, he nodded knowing what message she was saying without using words. Turning to Rick, he put his arm around her and called out, "I will see you in the morning."

Daryl pulled Carol to him as they watched the first of their friends walk away knowing they would never see them again.

***Kudos to Heidi for your picture idea on this chapter. It is awesome!***


	6. So Long, Farewell

When Carol climbed into bed that night, her eyes hurt from all the crying she had done. She had to try and get a grip on things as tomorrow was going to be much harder. The children would be upset enough, without having to see their mother sobbing uncontrollably. Curling into Daryl, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. "Are you ok, sweetheart?"

"Gotta be," she replied quietly. "I know we are making the right choice for our family, but the pain this is going to cause will take a long time to get over."

"Then we have to be that much stronger, Carol. These kids will look to us for answers for stuff they may not be able to figure out on their own. Especially Sam and Mika."

"Oh, I know you're right but it doesn't make it any easier." Silence fell over the room as they thought about what they had to accomplish tomorrow. She turned to him and snuggled in closer as her eyes began to get heavy. A part of her didn't want to go to sleep because of what they had to do tomorrow, but she knew it would be a long day either way.

During the night, Carol woke slowly as she felt Daryl behind her. He was gently running his hands up and down her stomach and over her breasts. She turned over to face him and leaned in for a kiss. He tilted her head to deepen it and she opened for him willingly. Their tongues battled for dominance and she became more aroused as he pulled her on top of him. When she sat up, she was illuminated by the moon. He growled as she slowly pulled of her shirt. "You're so beautiful. Thanks for bein' my girl and stickin' with me."

Shd brushed his hair out of his eyes and caressed his cheek as she said,"There's no place I'd rather be than with you, Daryl." Tears filled her eyes as he grasped her hips tightly and push up against her. She leaned over and kissed him again as she spoke against his lips. "Who knows when we will get the chance to be this close again, but I want you to know I love you."

"I love you, too, woman."

They continued to fulfill each other as the moonlight highlighted their lovemaking and commitment to each other and their family.

When they woke the next morning, they could hear commotion coming from downstairs. As Carol climbed out of bed, there as a knock at the door.

"Hello?," she said as she slipped a sweatshirt on. Sophia answered, "Hey mom, DD. You need to come downstairs. Abraham is making breakfast for everybody. He's saying he learned how to make it in the Army and it's called 'Shit on a Shingle.' To be honest, I am a little scared to try it."

They heard her laugh as she turned and headed back to the kitchen.

After taking quick showers and getting ready, they went downstairs and were surprised by what they saw. Everyone was in their kitchen getting ready to have a final breakfast together, including Sasha, Spencer and Gabriel. After the herd had swept through, Sasha and Spencer had spent more time on shifts in the watchtower and training two more citizens to become snipers as well. They didn't have a lot of free time, so Carol was happy to see them here.

"It is about time you got up," said Rick as he handed Judith a banana. Smiling he looked at them, "We were hoping you had changed your mind and decided to stay."

"Stop," said Daryl as he smacked Rick upside the head. "Kids don't need to be hearing that crap."

"Don't worry 'DAD', we are actually old and smart enough to understand what should be said in front of the kids," Rick emphasized as he smirked. Daryl shook his head as he reached for a bottle of water.

"Yeah, me, not so much," laughed Abraham as he was setting breakfast on the table. "Sometimes, the words just _flow _before I realize there are little ears around."

"Tell us something we don't know, " said Rosita as she rolled her eyes.

"So, Abraham, what exactly is 'Shit On a Shingle?', asked Carol as she sat at the table.

"You take the sausage and gravy mix and pour it on toast. Viola'. Shit On a Shingle."

She was amused by the pride in his voice. "Ok, then, seems easy enough to assemble. Let's eat!"

After they ate, everyone began to gather the bags they would have in the car with them and made final preparations. Aaron had already said his goodbyes to a few people at the ASZ he wanted to and was hanging out by the truck.

Abraham, Eugene, Rosita and Tara said their goodbyes as Carol, Daryl and the kids gave the house a final look over before they stepped outside. When they walked down the stairs, Judith spotted Daryl, cracked a huge smile and began to toddle over to him. Lifting her arms, she looked to him and said, "Up-a, Up-a, DD!"

He felt his throat close as he looked over at Carol before bending to pick her up. Judith loved him and he had no idea why. "There's my favorite Lil Asskicker. Give me kiss, DD gotta go bye bye." Carol adored him when he talked in his little kid voice.

"No bye bye! No!," said Judith as she got big tears in her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder. Carol grabbed Judith's hand as they walked over to Rick, Maggie, Sasha and Spencer.

While Rick stood and talked to Daryl about final plans Carol took that time to say goodbye to Sasha and Spencer. After hugging Spencer, she turned to Sasha. Carol embraced her and spoke softly in her ear. "I know things have not been easy for you, but I see a fighter in you. Each day you wake up shows how strong you truly are. Your brother was a wonderful man and I will always cherish the time I got to know him. When he forgave me, it showed me what true character he had. Take care of you, Sasha, and don't deny opening up your heart again someday." Pulling back she gave her hand an extra squeeze before she went back over to where Daryl and Rick were still talking.

Carl, Sophia, Lizzie, Mika and Sam had joined them as Maggie spoke up. "Carol, Daryl, let me say that since I lost daddy and Beth, goodbyes devastate me. I am going to talk to the both of you at the same time, because I don't think I can say this twice. Thank you both for allowing me to get to know you and trust you. You have both taught me so many things about survival and I know that I wouldn't be standing here without that knowledge. Take care of each other and take care of these precious children.I love both of you." She threw her arms around both of them and started to cry. She held on until Judith started fussing from getting squished, then went to hug each child. She spoke quietly to each of them and then walked away without looking back.

Judith started getting fussy, so Carl told Rick he would take her home and lay her down for a nap. He walked over to Carol and said, "Thank you helping me understand how I needed to protect myself from anything. You knew, even at the prison, that even kids could take care of themselves if they had to. I know how much you have helped my dad and I will never forget how you saved us from Terminus. You are my hero and always will be. The Grimes family would not be here right now if it wasn't for you. Remember that, always. I love you!" With that he gave her a big hug as she felt him began to shake.

Wiping her own tears away, she pulled away from him and whispered, "You are an amazing young man, that I am so proud of. You are a treasure to your dad, your sister and even Michonne. Keep on helping them, stay sharp, and don't forget to have a little fun. Love you, too."

He wiped his eyes as he went to Daryl, scooped Judith up and handed her to Carol. Carol gave sugar to Judith while Carl went back over to Daryl and stood a little taller. Daryl knew he was trying to show that he was a man now. Without speaking,they made eye contact, did a man hug, and then Carl took Judith and walked back to their house.

While his own kids were saying goodbye, Rick went to the girls and Sam to say goodbye to them. Daryl saw Rick and Sam exchange the pictures that Aaron made and smiled. As the kids climbed into the truck, Carol, Daryl and Rick met in the middle. Rick spoke gruffly and said, "Are you sure you have everything you need?"

Carol felt more tears fall down her face as she nodded. He walked over to her and embraced her closely. "Carol, there are no words that I could possibly express to cover everything there is to say. Thank you will never be enough, but it is all I have. You have saved my family, you have helped to raise my children and made my brother so happy." He stopped for a moment to pull himself together and then choked out, "I love you, my sister, please take care of the children, Daryl and above all, yourself. You've come a long way. I will never, ever forget you, for as long as I live."

Through her sobs she said, "Rick,...thank you for helping...helping all of us to make it this far. You are a hero in my, my eyes. You saved all of us at one point and time, so when you are ever in doubt of whether anything makes a difference, ...you think of our family of six making our way north, because of you. Without you, there would be no us. I love you, too, my brother." Hugging him one more time, she pulled away and climbed in.

They stood staring at each other for a minute before Rick simply said, "We have been through enough shit over the last few years to know that mushy just isn't our style." They laughed as he continued "Never forget that you are my brother, I mean that. Take care of your family, Daryl. I am happy that you and Carol finally found each other. Stay safe and if something happens, please come back."

Daryl nodded as he said, "I ain't much for this kind of stuff, but I know two things. One, I lost my first brother to this shit. Two, I found my second brother in this shit." After they did their man hug, Daryl walked away saying, "Take care of Michonne, Carl and my Lil Asskicker."

"You know it," he said as he stepped out of the street. He had to give himself a few moments, before he went home, as he watched his brother and sister leave knowing he would never see them again.


	7. On the Road

As they pulled onto the interstate, Daryl looked in the rearview mirror and saw Abraham and Aaron in the front seat talking away. They had gotten to know each other a bit better in the weeks leading up to the herd attack. He didn't see the others and assumed they had fallen asleep in the back. He could tell his family was still awake because sobs and sniffles could be heard more often than his heart could take. He looked over to Carol and saw that her cheeks were still wet from tears.

Reaching over, he grasped her hand and entwined his fingers with hers. He spoke quietly, when he said "I know it's hard, but we're gonna be ok, promise."

She nodded as she wiped her tears away. After a minutes of settling herself, she turned in her seat a bit to look at the kids. "We know how hard this is on all of you. Daryl and I will do our best to make this as easy as we can. We have a long drive ahead of us, so let's take some deep breaths, wipe our eyes and settle in. There are snacks up here for when you are hungry and don't forget the books and games we gathered from Sam's house and the library they had at the ASZ. Look at me, all of you." Slowly each kid looked at her, "We're gonna be ok, I promise. We are blessed to have each of you and look forward to seeing your faces the first time you see real snow." She gave them a little smile and in turn, each of them returned that smile.

Turning back to Daryl, he gave her hand another little squeeze and then focused his attention back on the road.

They drove for about 4 hours before they pulled over and stopped. Tara, Aaron, and Eugene took first watch for walkers and undesirables while the others used the restroom and filled the vehicles with gas from the cans in the back of the truck Abe was driving.

"We should see if we can drive for another four hours or so and then hunker down for the evening," said Daryl as he slammed the tailgate closed.

Abe nodded and replied, "It would be nice if we could find some supplies before we shut down for the evening. We got a lot of things from the ASZ, but anything would keep us at the advantage at this point."

"Yep, sounds good. Let's take over watch so the others can stretch and take care of what they need to."

Carol came walking out of the woods with Sam and the girls when Daryl spotted them. He watched as Carol and Sam each had a knife in their hands. She was talking in a quiet voice as she demonstrated how to slash with the knife first. They had agreed a while back that proper knowledge of how to hold and use the knife was imperative before the kids could learn how to take down a walker with one. Daryl loved the way she was always willing to step up and get things done. In this day and age, there was no putting off today what you can do tomorrow.

After the others came back, they prepared to leave. As they pulled out, Sam piped up from the back, " Thanks for the knife, Daryl. Carol told me that you had gotten it for me and I think it is great."

"That's not a toy, Sam. I shouldn't see it out unless it is absolutely necessary."

"Yes, sir. Carol explained all about safety before she even gave it to me." He looked over at Carol with adoration in his eyes and a huge smile on his face as he added, "Thanks for the lesson. It was awesome!"

She tried to keep a straight face as she replied, but couldn't help herself as she gave him a small smile and answered "You are welcome. Hopefully we can have another lesson tomorrow." She watched as Sam rested his head against the window and patted his knife. She knew he was proud to have that knife because when they were first talking about it, Sam told her now he 'Gets to be a man like Daryl.' It saddened her for a moment that a boy who should be excited about sports or cookies was now thrilled to have a knife.

Later that day they stopped outside a town of about ten thousand and decided to stay there for the night. The first day of traveling had went fairly smoothly, but they had anticipated it would. The further north they got, they knew they would be hitting colder temperatures, bigger cities and more than likely, snow.

On the outskirts of the town, there was a small subdivision of about twenty houses. They picked a house that was in the middle and had two floors. It looked like this place had been overrun with walkers early because there were plenty of supplies still in the houses. There was no activity going on in the area so they prepared to go on a run to the surrounding houses. After working for about thirty minutes, the group had cleared out the supplies from three of the houses. It became apparent to them that this place would have more than they could even take with them.

The group worked together to load up what they could and then secured the vehicles in the garage. After eating dinner, they began to close the blinds and light candles. The adults struck up a game of rummy while the kids settled in with some books. After a while Sophia went into the other room to grab a sweater and came out with a journal and pen.

She walked over to the table where the grown ups were and quietly said, "I have an idea. Everyone is having a hard time with saying goodbye, so I thought maybe we could share little stories of them. That way I can write them in this notebook and we won't forget them. What do you think?"

"I think that is a great idea," said Carol as she grabbed her daughter's hand and gave it a squeeze.

Daryl smiled at her and said, "Nice, Soph."

"Could we start tonight?"

"Sure, we have time for one story." Carol stood up and went over by the children. "Kids, Sophia has an idea and we are going to give it a try. She has a notebook and thought it would be great for us to share stories about our friends we left. That way, when we get lonely or sad, we can read one of these and feel better."

"Sounds cool momma," Mika said as she closed her book. "May I go first?"

"Sure, honey, go ahead."

"This story is about Carl. I remember we were at the prison, down in the library. It was suppose to be story time, but you use to teach us knife lessons without the adults knowing. I remember you were reading, then Patrick got sick and left. You didn't know it, but Patrick had convinced Carl to come and listen to the story. You had pulled out the knives and just started showing us when you spotted Carl. You told Carl not to tell his father and you know what? He never did. He was cool, that way." She stopped suddenly as the tears began to fall.

Carol walked over and gave her a hug then pulled her face up and said, "I remember, honey. Great story, thanks for sharing." Turning to all the kids she said, "We left some great friends today. Tears are ok because it is always hard to say goodbye. Remember, we are all here if you need anything."


	8. Why?

Sometime during the night, Carol was awoken by a noise. She reached over to wake Daryl, when she discovered the spot next to her was empty. Figuring he must have taken over watch, she turned back over and began to drift off when she heard the noise again. Getting out of bed, she grabbed her rifle and made her way to the bedroom door she was sharing with Daryl. Her first instinct was to check on the children across the hall. They had decided to make pallets on the floor together versus two on the bed and two on the floor. Everyone else was scattered downstairs in the other bedroom and on the couches.

She opened the door and walked across the hallway noticing right away that the bedroom door was cracked open. Fear flooded her as she knew that door was shut when they went to bed. Hoping someone was at the bathroom, she slowly opened the door. Her hand flew to her mouth as she saw all the children laying on the floor covered in blood. Closing the door to whatever was out there, she wanted to scream, but struggled for breath as she dropped to her knees beside them. She felt herself begin to fall apart as the sobs overtook her. Looking at the four of them laying there, she was grateful for one thing. They may have been covered in bites, but their faces were left untouched. She wasn't sure what else she would find in the house, but she took a few moments to say goodbye to each one of them. She did the same for all four of them as she thrust her knife into their head first, then smoothed their hair out of the way and kissed their foreheads while whispering, "You will always be my baby. I love you and I am so sorry I didn't keep you safe."

Not wanting to leave her children, but knowing she had to, she made her way back to the door. Pulling herself somewhat back together, she opened it slowly and peeked into the hall. Not hearing anything she stepped out and closed it behind her. She didn't want any more of those "things" to bother her children again. Fearing what she may find at the bottom of the stairs, she hesitated a moment before she continued to make her way down. Rounding the corner, she was not surprised to find that the whole group had been wiped out. There was so much blood everywhere and with the front door wide open, there were a few walkers still eating on Abraham and Eugene. As she made her way over to put her knife in the head of those eating she wondered where Daryl was. He was not among the group here and with the front door open, she couldn't help but wonder if he was fighting them outside as she could still hear noises. Putting a knife into the heads of those eating the guys she knew she would have to move quickly to put down the rest of them.

Stepping around the living room, she was putting down Tara when a shadow came through the door. Knowing she couldn't handle anything else by herself, she hoped it was Daryl. She watched as the person stepped out of the shadow to see it was, indeed, Daryl. "Oh, thank God! Daryl, what happened here!?" Stepping towards him, he turned to face her and then she saw that his piercing blue eyes were now clouded with a yellow tinge. He began to stumble towards her as she raised her rifle, and shouted, "Oh my God, no, Daryl, no, no, no!" Firing her weapon, he dropped as she fell next to him sobbing, "Not my Daryl, too. Daryl, Daryl, Daryl..."

Suddenly she woke up to see Daryl facing her in bed, hands on her shoulders as he spoke quietly. "Carol, you were yellin' my name. You are sobbing and shaking. What's wrong!?"

Looking into his eyes, she grabbed the sides of his face with her hands and ran them over his cheeks and through his hair making sure he was really in front of her. "You're here! Oh, thank heavens! You're here, you're really here with me!" Pulling his face to hers she kissed him several times all over until he slowed her down and pulled her to him. He embraced her fully as he took her lips with his teasing them with his tongue. She opened up to him and he deepened the kiss with passion to let her know that he was there with her. He could feel her tears and she kissed him back. After a minute, she pulled back and looked into his eyes. "You were gone, the kids, gone, everyone, gone. It was the worst thing ever. I hope I never, ever have to go through that. Promise me, Daryl! Please?"

"I promise, Carol. I will always take care of you and the kids. I love you, the kids, I promise."

Nodding her head, she was suddenly exhausted and laid back down. He laid back down with her and took her in his arms. She snuggled into his chest and he ran his fingers through her hair and they both dozed back to sleep knowing the drive would continue in the morning.


End file.
